During an interview with Citizen TV on Wednesday night, the US Ambassador to Kenya, Whitman, addressed the issue of compensation for the victims of the 1998 bomb blast. she mentioned that there are legal and other reasons preventing the Americans from providing compensation. Whitman emphasized that every new ambassador and administration examines the issue, indicating ongoing attention to the matter.
“This has been an issue for 25 years. We are looking at it again, but it is probably not likely to happen,” she said.
In October 2023, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said Kenyans who died in the attack were collateral damage since they were not the target.
“We (Kenyans) were hurt because we were hosting an American Embassy and the target was America and its embassy. In the process as collateral damage our people got caught up,” Kindiki said.
During his appearance before the Committee on Administration and National Security, the CS addressed queries regarding the compensation issue. In response to questions about why Americans were compensated but not Kenyans, Kindiki explained that US laws prohibit compensation for non-American citizens. However, he suggested that the US argument could be reconsidered, noting that Kenyans were not the intended targets but were killed nonetheless.
“The terrorist had no reason to hurt those people I dare say Kenya would not be hurt at all,” Kindiki added.
The August 7, 1998 bomb blast attack on the US Embassy in Kenya killed 213 people and injured more than 5,000 others.
Twelve Americans died in the attacks, including two CIA agents at the Nairobi embassy.
